Bath mat



Oct. 10, 1950 BORFF 2,525,531

BATH MAT Filed Dec. 30, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

E fag, fly Q INVENTOR ARLo DORFF ATTORNEYS Oct. 10, 1950 DORFF 2,525,

BATH am Filed Dec. 30, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR A RLo DORFF ATTORNEY5 Patented Get. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATH MAT Arlo Dorff, Dundalk, Md.

Application December 30, 1947, Serial N 0. 794,758

6 Claims.

This invention relates in general to floor mats and more particularly has reference to bath mats of the type upon which a bather steps when leaving a bath tub.

Bath mats of this type serve as a, clean surface upon which the bather may step when leaving the tub. Often such bath mats are made of water absorbent material to take up water which the bather carries from the tub on the surface of his body. Bath mats of the type in question are generally hung on towel racks or similar devices before use to prevent them from getting soiled as they would if left on the floor. After use, they should be removed from the floor. The handling prior to and after use of bath mats is disadvantageous and undesirable.

An object of this invention is to provide a bath mat which lacks the disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bath mat that when not in use will automatically fold against the side of a bath tub and which may be moved to a position on the floor alongsideof the bath tub so that a bather may step thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bath mat carrier hingedly mounted on a support positioned adjacent the lower exterior side of a bath tub so that it will normally lie in a vertical position against the side of the tub but may be swung down onto the floor for use.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention resides in the parts and combinations herein described and illustrated in the drawings.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a bath mat carrier constructed according to one form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view partly in section of the carrier shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a bath tub equipped with a bath mat on a carrier according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end view of the mat in operable position with the adjacent tub and floor in section;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of bath mat carrier; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 embodying the carrier of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line '!'I of Figure 3.

As shown in Figure 1, a bath mat carrier I, according to one form of the present invention, comprises a frame 2 of rectangular or other general form. In the drawing, the frame 2 is shown as being made of metal rod bent into rectangular form, but any suitable material may be employed and may be shaped as desired.

Frame 2 is mounted to swing about a horizontal axis adjacent the floor 3 from a vertical position to a horizontal position onto the floor. One suitable construction is shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein the frame 2 is mounted in a pair of hangers or brackets 4 which are provided with apertured floor flanges 5 through which anchoring means such as screws 6 may extend, to fix the brackets on the floor. While frame 2 is shown as being of inverted U-shape, it obviously may be eontinuous. Also, the brackets 4 are shown mounted on the floor, but obviously may be mounted on the lower portion of the tub as it is only necessary that the side of the frame pivotally mounted in the brackets be as close to the floor as possible so that when the frame is in its swung-down position, it will lie on the floor.

. While floor 3 has been illustrated as being of wood, brackets i may be mounted on any kind of floor by the appropriate kind of anchoring means.

Regardless of the kind of floor or whether the brackets 4 are anchored to the floor adjacent the tub or to the tub adjacent the floor, the frame 2 is so mounted that it may be swung from a substantially vertical position alongside the outer side wall of the tube to a position on the floor where a bather may step out of the tub onto the same.

In many instances, it will be advantageous to provide spring means to yieldably permit the downward swing of the frame 2 under manual action but which will effect the return of the frame 2 to vertical position after use. A helical coil spring I is mounted on each of the horizontal portions of the frame 2 which extend,

through the openings in the brackets 4. One end 8 of each spring engages the side of bracket 4 and the other end 9 of each spring is bent to form a lug or hook it to engage the sides of the frame. Springs 1 are symmetrical and are so formed as to urge the frame 2 to a vertical position against the side of the bath tub.

After assembly of the frame 2, springs 'i and brackets 4 and the mounting of the brackets in position, a detachable bath mat body ll, formed of toweling or other suitable fabric, is assembled on the frame. The mat body or fabric may be in the form of an envelope encasing the frame 2, as shown, or it may be detachably secured in any desired manner to the frame.

In some instances, it may not be desirable to permanently fix the brackets in which the carrier frame is mounted to the floor or tub, but to detachably associate the entire assembly with the bath tub. A structure suitable for this purpose is shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. As illustrated in these figures, a bracket I2 is provided with an upper hook-like portion [3 which is adapted to hang over the upper edge of the side wall of a bath tub M. It is convenient to form the bracket l2 of spring metal and to make the coil springs 7a integral therewith. In this instance, the springs 1a serve as bearings for the unturned ends of the rod of which the frame 2a is formed. The free ends 9a. of the springs are provided with hooks Illa which engage the frame 2 to urge the same to a vertical position alongside of the outer wall of the tub. Frame 2a carries a detachable mat fabric or body I la as described in connection with Figures 1-3. If desired, the frame may be provided with reinforcing or strengthening members 2 or 2". After the carrier is mounted in position on the floor or on the bath tub and the mat fabric detachably secured thereto, it assumes its vertical position alongside of the bath tub wall out of the way. When a bather wishes to step from the tub onto the mat, the mat on the carrier is swung down onto the floor by the bathers foot and the weight of the bather will retain the mat on the floor until the bather steps off of it,

whereupon the mat will fold up against the side i of the frame on a floor adjacent a bath tub for swinging movement between a vertical position alongside the tub and a horizontal position on the floor, and mat fabric detachably secured to said frame. I

3. A bath floor mat carrier comprising a frame, bearings for pivotally mounting one edge of the frame at floor level alongside of a bath tub for swinging movement between a vertical position alongside the tub and a horizontal position on the floor, and a spring urging said frame away from said floor.

4. A retractible bath mat comprising a frame, bearings for pivotally mounting one edge of the frame on a floor adjacent a bath tub for swinging movement between a vertical position alongside the tub and a horizontal position on the floor, mat fabric detachably secured to said frame, and a spring urging said frame away from said floor.

5. A retractible bath mat comprising bracket means detachably mounted on the side of a bath tub, bearing means carried by the lower part of said bracket means, a bath mat carrier frame pivotally mounted at one edge in said bearing means for swinging movement between a vertical position alongside the tub and a horizontal position on the floor, and mat fabric detachably mounted on said carrier frame.

6. A retractible bath mat comprising bracket means detachably mounted on the side of a bath tub, bearing means carrier by the lower part of said bracket means, a bath mat carrier frame pivotally mounted at one edge in said bearing means for swinging movement between a vertical position alongside the tub and a horizontal position on the floor, mat fabric detachably mounted on said carrier frame, and spring means associated with said bearings to urge said carrier frame away from the floor.

ARLO! DORFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,407,720 Boyett Feb. 28, 1922 1,767,545 Mossbacher June 24, 1930 1,806,578 Studebaker May 19, 1931 2,217,658 De Puy Oct. 15, 1940 2,242,150 Sievers May 13, 1941 

